Method for manufacturing a gate structure incorporating therein aluminum oxide as a gate dielectric

ABSTRACT

A method for forming a gate structure begins by preparing a semiconductor substrate provided with an isolation region formed therein. An aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) layer is deposited on top of the semiconductor substrate and then, silicon ions plasma doping is carried out. Thereafter, the Al 2 O 3  layer doped with silicon ions is annealed in the presence of oxygen gas or nitrous oxygen to remove a metallic vacancy in the Al 2 O 3  layer. Subsequently, a conductive layer is formed on top of the Al 2 O 3  layer. Finally, the conductive layer is patterned into the gate structure.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a semiconductor device; and, more particularly, to a method for manufacturing a gate structure incorporated therein aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) as a gate dielectric.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] As is well known, a semiconductor device has been downsized by a scale down of a design rule. Therefore, a gate oxide tends to rapidly approach 30 □ in thickness and below to increase the capacitance between a gate electrode and a channel region. However, the use of silicon dioxide as a gate dielectric is limited at this thickness and below. Once silicon dioxide (SiO₂) is formed to a thickness of less than 30 □, direct tunneling may occur through the gate dielectric to the channel region, thereby increasing a leakage current associated with the gate electrode and the channel region, causing an increase in power consumption.

[0003] Since reducing the thickness of the gate dielectric inherently increases the gate-to-channel leakage current, alternative methods have been developed to reduce this leakage current while maintaining thin SiO₂ equivalent thickness. One of these methods is to use a high K dielectric material such as tantalum oxide (Ta₂O₅) as the gate dielectric materials to increase the capacitance between the gate and the channel.

[0004] However, if a poly-silicon is utilized as a gate electrode, the use of Ta₂O₅ for gate dielectric materials has a disadvantage in integrating the semiconductor device. That is, an undesired SiO₂ is formed at an interface between Ta₂O₅ and the poly-silicon, which, in turn, increases an equivalent oxide thickness. In order to overcome this problem, a barrier metal such as titanium nitride (TiN) is employed. However, the TiN makes a threshold voltage shift changed.

[0005] Therefore, there is still a demand for developing a high K dielectric as a gate oxide with excellent leakage current as well as a low interface state with both a gate electrode and a silicon substrate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a gate structure incorporated therein aluminum oxide as a gate oxide for use in a semiconductor device.

[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a gate structure for use in a semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps of: a) preparing a semiconductor substrate provided with an isolation region formed therein; b) forming an aluminum oxide layer (Al₂O₃) on the semiconductor substrate; c) carrying out a Si+ plasma doping on the Al₂O₃ layer; d) annealing the Al₂O₃ layer doped with the silicon ions; e) forming a conductive layer on top of the Al₂O₃ layer; and f) patterning the conductive layer, thereby obtaining the gate structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0009]FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 are schematic cross sectional views setting forth a method for the manufacture of a gate structure incorporated therein aluminum oxide as a gate dielectric in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] There are provided in FIGS. 1 to 4 cross sectional views setting forth a method for manufacturing a gate structure 100 for use in a semiconductor device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Referring to FIG. 1, the process for manufacturing the gate structure 100 begins with the preparation of a semiconductor substrate 110 including an isolation region 120 for defining an active region. The isolation region 120 may be formed in a structure of local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) or in a structure of shallow trench isolation (STI).

[0012] And then, an aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) layer 130 is formed on top of the semiconductor substrate 110 by using a method such as a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and an atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique, wherein an aluminum source utilizes a material such as trimethyl aluminum (TMA, Al(CH₄)₃), Al(CH₃)₂Cl, AlCl₃ or the like and an oxygen source utilizes a material such as H₂ 0, oxygen (O₂) or the like. It is preferable that the deposition temperature is ranged from 150 □ to 700 □ and the pressure in a reaction chamber is ranged from 0.5 Torr to 10 Torr.

[0013] Before depositing the aluminum oxide layer 130, a silicon dioxide (SiO₂) thin film (not shown) can be formed on the substrate 110. The SiO₂ thin film is thermally grown on the semiconductor substrate 110 by using a wet H₂/O₂ or a dry O₂ at a temperature ranging from approximately 650 □ to approximately 900 □. It is preferable that the SiO₂ thin film has a thickness ranging from approximately 3 □ to approximately 20 □. Alternatively, it is possible that the silicon SiO₂ thin film can be formed by using a rapid thermal process (RTP) at a temperature ranging from approximately 700 □ to approximately 900 □ in the presence of O₂ gas or a nitrous oxygen (N₂O) gas. It is preferable that the RTP is carried out in a pressure ranging from approximately 0.1 Torr to approximately 1.0 Torr.

[0014] In a next step as shown in FIG. 2, in order to remove metallic vacancies in the aluminum oxide layer 130, silicon ions (Si⁺) are doped by plasma. And then, a first annealing process is carried out, thereby forming an Al₂O₃ gate dielectric layer 135. In Si⁺plasma doping, Si RF coil, SiH₄, Si₂H₆, SiCl₄ or the like is used as a silicon source material. In more detail, Si⁺plasma doping is carried out on condition that a negative bias is applied to a cathode with 100 eV to 2 kV, an ion flux is approximately 1E14 to approximately 5E15 ions/cm², used power is approximately 0.1 W/cm² and Si⁺dopant is doped into the aluminum oxide layer 130 by controlling a gas flow rate. Meanwhile, by-product, e.g., H, Cl or the like, which is produced during the plasma doping, can be removed by a collector to which a positive bias is applied or be removed by means of evacuation using a high vacuum pump.

[0015] Thereafter, an organic material in the Al₂O₃ gate dielectric layer 135 is removed by using a UV ozone (O₃) at 300 □ to 500 □ for 3 to 30 minutes. And then, a second annealing process is carried out at 650 □ to 850 □ for 10 to 60 minutes in O₂, nitrogen (N₂), N₂+H₂ (hydrogen), N₂+D₂ (deuterium) or N₂O rich ambient, thereby reducing the metallic vacancies in the Al₂O₃ gate dielectric layer 135 due to a change of the silicon ions into SiO₂.

[0016] In an ensuing step, a conductive layer 140 is formed on top of the Al₂O₃ gate dielectric layer 135 to a thickness ranging from approximately 500 □ to approximately 2,000 □. The conductive material can be selected from a group consisting of a doped poly-Si, amorphous-Si, W-polycide, Ti-polycide, Co-polycide, Mo-polycide, tungsten (W), tantalum nitride (TaN), tungsten nitride (WN), titanium nitride (TiN) or the like.

[0017] In the embodiment of the present invention, the conductive layer 140 is formed after the Si⁺plasma doping is completed. However, the Si⁺plasma doping process can be carried out after the conductive layer 140 is deposited to the thickness ranging from 100 □ to 300 □.

[0018] In a following step, the conductive layer 140A and the Al₂O₃ dielectric layer 135A are patterned into a predetermined configuration, thereby obtaining a gate structure 150 as shown in FIG. 4.

[0019] In the present invention, the aluminum oxide layer is used as the gate dielectric layer. And further, in order to reduce oxide trap charge produced by the metallic vacancies in the aluminum oxide layer, Si⁺plasma doping upon the aluminum oxide layer and the annealing process are carried out, subsequently. By using the plasma doping in the inventive method, it is possible to control a projected range (R_(p)) from 50 □ to 200 □ while it is impossible in case of using an ion implantation method. Thus, the silicon ions are directly doped into the aluminum oxide layer so that the substrate is effectively prevented from the damage.

[0020] Accordingly, after Si⁺plasma doping, the silicon ions move into the vacancy site in the aluminum oxide layer and then SiO₂ is formed through the annealing process, thereby obtaining the gate structure incorporated therein the Al₂O₃ dielectric layer with a low oxide trap charge and enhanced dielectric property.

[0021] While the present invention has been described with respect to the particular embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for forming a gate structure in a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: a) preparing a semiconductor substrate with an isolation region; b) forming an aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) layer over the semiconductor substrate; c) conducting a Si⁺plasma doping on the aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) layer; d) annealing the doped aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) layer with silicon ions; e) forming a conductive layer over the aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) layer; and f) patterning the conductive layer.
 2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of forming an aluminum oxide layer includes forming the aluminum oxide layer at a temperature ranging from approximately 150 □ to approximately 700 □ and a pressure ranging from approximately 0.5 Torr to approximately 10 Torr by using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or an atomic layer deposition (ALD).
 3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein said aluminum oxide layer forming step uses an aluminum source including a material selected from a group of trimethyl aluminum (TMA, Al(CH₄) ₃), Al(CH₃)₂Cl and AlCl₃, and an oxygen source of H₂O or O₂.
 4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of conducting a Si⁺plasma doping uses a silicon source including a material selected from a group of Si RE coil, SiH₄, Si₂H₆ and SiCl₄.
 5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the step of conducting a Si⁺plasma doping includes conducting the Si⁺plasma doping while applying a negative bias to a cathode with 100 eV to 2 kV, having an ion flux of approximately 1E14 to approximately 5E15 ions/cm², using power of approximately 0.1 W/cm¹, and doping Si⁺dopant into the aluminum oxide layer by controlling a gas flow rate.
 6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of annealing the aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) layer includes annealing at a temperature of approximately 650 □ to approximately 850 □ for 10 to 60 minutes in ambient with a gas selected from a group of oxygen (O₂), nitrogen (N₂), N₂+H₂ (hydrogen), N₂+D₂ (deuterium) and nitrous oxygen (N₂O).
 7. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of removing an organic material produced during the step of conducting a Si⁺plasma doping.
 8. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the step of removing the organic material uses a UV ozone (O₃) at a temperature ranging from approximately 300 □ to approximately 550 □.
 9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer includes a material selected from a group of a doped poly-Si, amorphous-Si, W-polycide, Ti-polycide, Co-polycide, Mo-polycide, tungsten (W), tantalum nitride (TaN) tungsten nitride (WN) and titanium nitride (TiN).
 10. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming a silicon dioxide (SiO₂) thin film on the semiconductor substrate before forming the aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) layer.
 11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the step of forming a silicon dioxide (SiO₂) thin film includes thermally growing the silicon dioxide (SiO₂) thin film on the semiconductor substrate to a thickness ranging from approximately 3 □ to approximately 20 □ using a wet H₂/O₂ or dry O₂ at a temperature ranging from approximately 650 □ to approximately 900 □.
 12. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the step of forming a silicon dioxide (SiO₂) thin film includes using a rapid thermal process (RTP) at a temperature ranging from approximately 700 □ to approximately 950 □ and a pressure ranging from approximately 0.01 Torr to approximately 100 Torr in O₂ or N₂O gas ambient.
 13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of preparing a semiconductor substrate includes forming the isolation region using a local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) or shallow trench isolation (STI). 